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A lighter Caesar salad in a white serving bowl with croutons, Parmesan, and creamy Caesar dressing on the side.

A Lighter Caesar Salad

A light Caesar salad with crisp romaine and a thick, creamy dressing made with equal parts mayonnaise and Greek yogurt, plus Parmesan, anchovies, garlic, and lemon
* Quick Note Before You Dive In: This recipe card covers the basics, but for my testing notes, texture tips, and romaine prep advice, scroll back up to the post.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course sides
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup (104g) mayonnaise
  • ½ cup (113g) plain non-fat Greek yogurt
  • ⅓ cup 26g finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 4 (15g) anchovy fillets minced
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons (9g) minced garlic 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 teaspoons (10g) Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) Dijon mustard
  • 2 small heads or 1 large head romaine lettuce
  • Croutons if desired

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Add the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, anchovies, lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard to a medium bowl. Stir until well combined.
  • Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine. Tear into bite-sized pieces, setting aside the smaller inner leaves for the top of the salad.
  • Place the romaine, except for the reserved inner leaves, in a large mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the dressing to start and toss until evenly coated, adding more dressing as needed. Transfer to a salad bowl or serving platter.
  • Add the reserved inner leaves to the large mixing bowl. Add just enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves and gently toss. Arrange the dressed leaves over the top of the salad.
  • Add croutons, if using, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
  • Serve immediately. Store any leftover dressing in the refrigerator until needed.

Notes:

Parmesan: Use finely grated Parmesan so it incorporates evenly into the dressing; coarser shreds won’t blend as smoothly.
Dressing amount: For 1 large head or 2 small heads of romaine, start with about 1/2 cup dressing and add more as needed. The leaves should be evenly coated without being weighed down.
Salt: I don’t add salt to the dressing because the anchovies, Parmesan, and Worcestershire sauce provide plenty of saltiness. Taste the finished dressing and add a small pinch of salt at the end only if needed.
Anchovy paste: Substitute the anchovy fillets with 1 teaspoon anchovy paste to start, then add more to taste.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and provided as an estimate. It is not intended as a substitute for professional dietary advice
Keyword Caesar dressing with Greek yogurt, Caesar salad with anchovies, creamy Caesar salad, easy sides, high protein sides, homemade Caesar dressing, light caesar dressing, light Caesar salad
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